1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of aiming devices used in billiards games. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices that assist players in aiming bank and kick shots.
2. Description of Related Art
Cue games, such as billiards, pool, and snooker, are played on a table bounded by elastic cushions. For convenience, such games are hereafter referred to collectively as “billiards”. During the course of billiards play, it is frequently necessary or desirable to direct the cue ball or an object ball into one or more cushions to redirect the ball toward its intended target. When the ball directed into the cushion is an object ball, the shot is known as a bank shot. When the ball directed into the cushion is the cue ball, the shot is known as a kick shot.
It is well known that a billiards ball will rebound from a cushion at or near the same angle that it approaches the cushion. However, the exact rebound angle is dependent upon the properties of the cushion, the velocity of the ball, and any spin possessed by the ball as it strikes the cushion.
Bank and kick shots, hereafter referred to collectively as “bank shots”, are among the most difficult billiards shots to master. Consequently, numerous techniques and devices have been devised to train or assist players in executing bank shots. One known method to determine the theoretical point along a cushion to aim a bank shot is to mentally calculate and visualize the aim point based on principles of geometry. The evenly spaced markings (for example, “diamond” markings) along the rails of most billiards tables are often used to assist in these mental exercises. However, such methods are complicated and readily subject to error.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,095 to Risner and U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,398 to Compton disclose the use of mirrors placed under or against the rail cushions. Such devices suffer the disadvantage that mirrors positioned on the playing surface can be distracting, especially when executing shots that do not require aiming assistance. Thus, the mirrors are not practical for use in routine play. Another disadvantage is that, to cover all sides of a billiards table, a plurality of mirrors is required. Therefore, the equipment is bulky and inconvenient to transport and set up.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,095 to Risner, U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,398 to Compton, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,581 to Mazzoli are typical of most of the known devices, in that they must be attached to or positioned on the playing equipment, such as the table, the balls, or the cue stick. The devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,379 to Zotos, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,262 to Hayes attach to the billiards table and suffer the additional drawback that they leave a chalk mark on the table. The systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,676 to Van De Kop and German patent 4039315-A1 to Kunnecke do not attach to or contact the playing equipment, but both employ computer-controlled imaging systems and would be expensive to implement.
Many of the known devices, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,581 to Mazzoli and U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,270 to Josenhans, require the player to walk around the table, position the device, and then walk back to the shooting position. Such devices are time consuming and inconvenient to use.
The sight-through aiming device of the present invention averts the limitations of the known devices and represents a novel approach to the problem of identifying the theoretical aim point for billiards bank shots.
No devices are known for determining the theoretical aim point for a bank shot in billiards games played on a computer or video display screen. The present invention also fulfills this need.